Road Issues
Car accidents are caused by many things. From distracted driving to driving under the influence to disobeying traffic rules to speeding. Road accidents occur for many reasons. However, there are accidents where there is no party at fault. These are accidents caused by the poor state of the road. Accidents caused by bad roads are becoming more rampant as there is a poor record of road maintenance in the US. In 2005, Bloomberg ran an article about how the American infrastructure crisis was only a maintenance crisis. It shed light on America’s insistence on new roads. The piece showed that a significant portion of road budgets was going to new roads rather than maintenance of existing roads. Existing roads make up 99% of the roads but only received 43% of the road budgets, while the 1% of new roads ate up the remaining 53%.
Rising Fatality
In 2018 alone, over twelve million cars were involved in accidents on US roads. The United States ranks highly for the number of vehicles on the road so these high numbers come as no surprise. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that over 38,000 deaths were resulting from car accidents in the US. This number rose from around 36,000 the previous year.
Seeking compensation for an accident caused by bad roads
The first thing to do after a car accident is to call the police by the quickest possible means. A police report is important if you want to claim compensation. The police report establishes many facts that are important for building a compensation case. Facts like the day, the time, and the location of the accident. The police report also establishes things like what is at fault for the accident. If an accident is caused by bad weather or bad roads, the police records will indicate so. If you are involved in an accident caused by bad roads, alert the officer to it. Dangerous potholes can cause tires to burst and for steerings to veer uncontrollably. You want to get a copy of the police report too.
Involving a car accident lawyer
After calling the police, the next step should be to decide if you want to involve a car accident lawyer. Car accident lawyers specialize in helping victims of car accidents to get compensation. In this case, if the cause of the accident is bad roads, then the government will be held accountable. The state and local authorities are responsible for building roads and road maintenance; they should be held responsible. A car accident lawyer will start gathering evidence early enough to build a strong case. They also know the law and the procedure to follow. If injuries are sustained, or there is vehicle damage or loss of wage due to recuperation from the accident, you have a right to compensation. A car accident attorney must secure the compensation.
Every day there are hundreds of car accidents across the United States. Some of these accidents can be prevented if the roads are better. Unsafe road designs and dilapidated roads can lead to injuries and, in the worst case, loss of life. Call the police as soon as a car accident occurs and get a car accident lawyer involved.